White Gustavian Desk
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Vintage 1920s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1850s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Vintage 1940s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique 1870s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Brass, Iron
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Chairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Pine, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century European Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Bronze
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Gustavian Dining Room Tables
Birch, Oak
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Apothecary Cabinets
Oak
Late 20th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Linen, Wood
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Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights an...
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Silk
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Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Brass
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
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Brass
Antique 1870s Swedish Country Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Limestone
20th Century French Wall Mirrors
Wood, Mirror
Antique Late 19th Century English Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Night Stands
Brass
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Desks
Mahogany
Vintage 1910s British Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Iron
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Side Tables
Pine
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks
Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Vintage 1960s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1870s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1870s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1940s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 1860s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Swedish Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 19th Century Danish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique 1810s Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Vintage 1940s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Carrara Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Brass, Chrome
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Chrome
20th Century American Gustavian Secretaires
Mirror, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Adam Style Armchairs
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Farm Tables
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Karl Johan Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique Early 1900s European Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique 1840s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 1870s Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Gustavian Desks
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Vintage 1920s Swedish Gustavian Tables
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Wood
Antique 1830s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Wood
Late 20th Century Louis XVI Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
White Gustavian Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a White Gustavian Desk?
A Close Look at gustavian Furniture
With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.
Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.
Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.
While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.
Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.